Which Tv Network Won Viewers This Summer? Depends On Whom You Ask. Both Nbc And Cbs Are Saying . . .

We're Number 1

August 12, 2004|By Hal Boedeker, Sentinel Television Critic

In the latest battle of network TV executives, CBS and NBC bigwigs Wednesday traded putdowns about who's winning the current ratings race -- a drama more diverting than many summer programs.

CBS began the tussle by declaring itself the victor and saying tonight marks the end of summer viewing because the Olympics start Friday on NBC. In a news release, the Eye Network took potshots at NBC without naming the Peacock Network.

CBS complained that "anyone attempting to salvage a flagging summer performance by two weeks of special-events programming was simply talking through their hats."

Les Moonves, who as co-president of Viacom oversees CBS, bemoaned "those kind of shenanigans, even if they are being carried out on an Olympic scale."

NBC fired back by saying it would stick with Nielsen Media Research's official start date for the new season on Sept. 20.

"But we can see advantages to CBS' declaration that the summer is over on Aug. 12 and therefore the new season begins on Aug. 13," said Jeff Zucker, president of the NBC Universal Television Group. "If Nielsen and the other networks agree to this new start date, NBC is behind it 100 percent."

The other networks won't agree, because the Olympics will inflate NBC's ratings over the next 17 days. But the executives' barbs underscored how the summer season has gone so far.

NBC and Fox heavily promoted new programming this summer, but more viewers cottoned to the CBS mix of high-rated reruns (CSI, Without a Trace and Two and a Half Men) and first-run reality series (Big Brother and The Amazing Race).

CBS has been the only major network this summer to post an increase from a year ago in total viewers. The Eye Network was up 4 percent while NBC dropped 13 percent, Disney-owned ABC slipped 5 percent and Fox fell 16 percent.

Zucker congratulated CBS on finishing a strong second, behind NBC, in the 18-to-49 demographic that drives the Peacock Network's business. But NBC paid CBS backhanded compliments in a witty release.

Zucker took issue with Moonves' "shenanigans" remark by suggesting that ratings for the Super Bowl and the NCAA Basketball Tournament shouldn't be included when comparing entertainment lineups. Those sporting events aired on CBS last season.

The ratings picture will change dramatically when the Athens games start Friday. But CBS started crowing by saying, "We're doing it because we can and because it makes us look incredibly good."

CBS also placed first in the July sweeps, a ratings period that helps local stations establish their advertising rates. The July contest, which ended last week, isn't as crucial as those in November, February and May, when viewer levels are higher.

Still, the July race was good news for WFTV-Channel 9. In weeknight newscasts at 5, 5:30 and 6, it was seen in almost as many households as WESH-Channel 2 and WKMG-Channel 6 put together. In 6 a.m. news, WFTV edged WESH.

WKMG was the victor in a tight race among the weeknight newscasts at 11. The CBS affiliate averaged 87,500 households to WFTV's 85,800, a strong showing by an ABC affiliate that has had little help from its network. NBC affiliate WESH attracted 75,500, and Spanish-language WVEN-Channel 26 drew 12,200.

"In a competitive market, everybody looks at every book for positive or negative points," said WKMG General Manager Henry Maldonado. "WFTV can reassure its camp that it has momentum, and so can we. This is the fourth sweep in a row we've won at 11 o'clock."

The July results were not as encouraging for WESH, which was down 10,600 households at 6 p.m. and off 5,900 at 11. But WESH General Manager Bill Bauman discounted the showing. (WESH shares some content with the Orlando Sentinel.)

"This summer our focus is on the Olympics and the new shows we're launching in September," he said. "We did no special reports for July. We've been working on special reports for August. If Channel 9 had a good book, good for them. We're focused on August."